My job
title at the present time is I/C SPSS at 1CER, which
translates to In-Charge of Spare Parts
Supply Section at 1Combat Engineer
Regiment. My rank is Master Corporal and
that means I look after all the parts required to fix all
the vehicles in my unit. The mechanics come to see
my staff and I to get the parts to fix the vehicles.
It is much like being at Canadian Tire [Canadian Tire is
a store that sells parts to fix almost anything.].
Presently, I am overseas on the island of Diego Garcia
representing my unit in trying to make sure everything we
took to Afghanistan comes back to my unit.

Where did you grow up
and what were some of your favorite activities as a
child?

I was
born in Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada) in 1964. My
father was in the Air Force and we never stayed in one
place more than 4 years. Mostly, I have lived in
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and call that my home. I
also spent time in Greenwood, Nova Scotia and Summerside,
Prince Edward Island. We did a lot of outdoor
activities because there were no computers to play with.
We would make our own fun with our toys. Mostly
swimming and hockey took our time; and playing cowboys
and Indians or red rover.

What were your
childhood dreams?

I
think every kid wanted to play in the National Hockey
League when they were growing up. I went as far as
I could with hockey and had a ton of fun. I was
fortunate to play against a Czech team and go to
Newfoundland from Nova Scotia to play in a high school
championship.

When did you join
Scouts? What are some of the best things you have
done with Scouts?

I
joined at a late year in my life, and only did one year
before joining Ventures. The best camp I was on
with them was cross-country skiing survival in
Summerside, Prince Edward Island. I then joined
scouts as a leader when my son was five, and in Beavers.
There is no one camp that sticks out because I enjoyed
them all and each one has different high points. My
greatest highlight was when I was in Kosovo in 1999 where
I helped set up a Scout group along with other scout
leaders in that region. It was the first time for
such a group.

Why did you decide to
join the Canadian Armed Forces?

Well
it was the order of the judge - Military or jail.
They did that in those days. Just kidding, I was
tired of what was in my life and was looking for a job
that had lots of challenges. As a matter of fact, I
am away on a mission at this moment and have some down
time to complete this study.

When did you leave
for Afghanistan? What are you doing there?
When do you expect to return home?

Presently
I am on an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean at a
place called Diego Garcia. It is what we call a
staging base where all of the supplies and toys are flown.
Then we check them over and prepare them for shipping
back to Canada. There are about 85 of us on this
special assignment. My return date is scheduled
around the first week of September or sooner. [Tony
arrived back at home on 15 August 2002.]

What does it take to
join the military?

You
must pass a series of tests to evaluate your job
capability. Once you complete the tests, the
recruiter can see what job you are best suited for.
Most times they offer you a job in whatever field needs
the most people. The main thing is to get your foot
in the door, and once in, you can change jobs if you
don't like what you are doing. You must also be
physically fit. Depending on what trade you pick
depends on your level of fitness required.

What different
positions have you had in the military?

When I
first joined the army, I was a Field Engineer. The
main jobs were de-mining, water purification and bridge
building to name a few. When I say bridge building
I don't mean design, actual hands-on pick up two to three
hundred pounds of bridge pieces with your co-workers and
build a bridge. It was like a big Meccano set.
It all fit together one way. Most times we did that
at night and it usually rained. We worked hard and
played even harder, but that kind of life takes its toll
on one's mind, body and family.

I then
pursued the job of being a Combat Diver with the
Engineers. One day after a training dive I came to
the surface and was paralyzed on one side. After
over a year in the hospital, it was decided by the
doctors that I had Multiple Sclerosis and that my
Engineer/Diving career was over.

This
is when I moved into the support position as a Supply
Technician. I have been there ever since. I
have seen the world with the Supply Group. From
sailing on the HCMS Halifax to being deployed with the
army overseas where I am currently positioned.
Being with the navy was enjoyable but it meant spending
long trips with a new ship to show it off. During
my two and a half years onboard, I figured out I was gone
two of those years.

What do you do at
your job when you are away on a mission?

My job
varies from mission to mission, however it can be summed
up as looking after the army's toys. When we deploy
troops on a mission we have to make sure there are enough
supplies like bullets, food, water, and things for
everyday living.

What do you do at
your job when you are not on a mission, but stationed at
home?

When I
am home, it is much the same. My unit is the most
tasked unit in all of Edmonton. The last time we
were together as a unit only lasted a month before we had
to separate again. Because the engineers are
specialized, there are soldiers gone for every mission
from this unit. When we are not preparing for a
mission we are busy getting ready for field exercises
where we train for an upcoming mission. It's a non-stop
organization.

What is the most
important thing that you have learned from being in the
military?

The
most important thing I learn from being in the military
is how to be a better person. You learn to be more
compassionate and respectful of the different people in
the world, their thoughts and ways. I have seen
things that most Canadians will never see and hope they
never do. The world can be a scary place if you're
not careful. It has given me the skill to cope and
deal with adversity in my life. Also there are
courses that you cannot get anywhere but the army.
Such as a combat diver, or tank driver or jumping out of
planes with large packs strapped to your back.

What different places
has the military brought you to?

I have
been all over the world with the military. Because
of my trade, Supply Technician, I have been posted to
Air, Army and even naval bases. I have been to
Bermuda, Puerto Rico, Spain, France and a number of other
places. I have moved my family from one coast of
Canada to the other and back again. I think they
are growing tired of moving so I think this is going to
be my last stop. I would have to say that the East
coast (of Canada) was the best place to live. But
after all that is my home.

Is going on a mission
challenging, both mentally and physically? How do
you and your family deal with you going away for long
periods of time for a mission?

You
have to be prepared for what you are going into.
Most times I look at it as if I am in an interactive
movie. If you let the things you see and do bother
you then you will lose your mind. I find that if
you have a good home front, and the family can accept
that you will be away, it puts your mind at ease.
My wife is the greatest support person I have.
Without her, it would be unbearable. There are
certain things you don't tell your family because you
don't want them to worry, and other times you just keep
it inside you. As far as my family coping, I don't
really know. I can't speak for them but they seem
to do ok. Every time I come back there is a
readjusting period where we have to get to know one
another again.

Tell me a little bit
about your trip to Kosovo. What were you doing
there? What made you decide to start a Scout Troop?

When I
went to Kosovo it was for a peace-making mission.
The idea was to try to bring order back to the Albanians
after being forced from their homes and to get them back
where they belonged. The idea of a scout troop was
to try to give all the kids that were hanging outside of
the camp some direction and maybe show then how to have
fun.

What was the Kosovo
Scout Troop like? Is it the same as Scouting in
Canada? Is it true that the kids did not know how
to play in a playground?

The
scouts in Kosovo were kind of in a shell. They
weren't sure if they should trust us or not. But we
tried to break through with fun and games. After
awhile they turned out to be quite amazing. When we
are teaching them knots, most kids in Canada take the
rope home to practice and get sidetracked by TV, Nintendo
or some other activity. But these kids had none of
that and would practice with the rope for hours on end.
They mastered many of the knots in record time. As
far as the playground went, it was built at the school
near where most of these kids lived and once it was
built, we (the soldiers) had to get on to show them how
to use most of the equipment such as the teeter-totter.
Or even the tire swing.

What do you think is
the most valuable lesson for children to learn?

I
think respect of one another is very important. If
the kids learn this and carry it with them then perhaps
the world would be a better place. To show
compassion for one another and to take care of our
environment because there is only one earth and we must
keep it clean and safe for all creatures big or small,
human or animal.

Who did you look up
to as a child? Who gave you inspiration throughout
your childhood?

When I
was growing up, I looked up to both of my grandfathers.
One of them passed away when I was young and it left an
empty spot. He was good with his hands and taught
me about hard work. He was a big man much like
myself. My other grandfather taught me respect.
I was taught how to respect people and treat women
properly. To this day, my wife and kids know which
side of the road to be on when we are out walking.
"The gentleman must be closest to the traffic as to
protect the women and children". He had also
served in the air force during the WWII as a bomber and
was an inspiration to me. He died two weeks before
I graduated from basic training and has never seen me in
my uniform. And I can't forget my dad. Even
though he told me how good it was in the air force, I
still joined the army. He has always been my
biggest fan.

It
takes a lot of mental and physical strength to succeed in
a military career.

What advice do you
have for children who would like to join the military?

Stay
in school, be as smart as you can and take one day at a
time. Do not sweat the small stuff cause the next
day is going to get better.

I hope
this helped to answer your questions and remember to stay
in school, respect one another, and learn from your
mistakes and the mistakes of others.